Engine starting means



y 1950 c. s. METSGER 2,503,333

ENGINE STARTING MEANS Filed Aug. 28, 1946 lNVE NTO R- [Ha/M5 5. ME 7555f? m V N ATTORNEY of the fire Patented May 23, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs I ENGINE STARTING DEANS Charles S. Metsger, N. J., assignor to Bendix Avia poration of Delaware tion Corporation, Teterboro, N. 1., a cor- Application August 28, 1946, Serial No. 693,469

. 1 This invention relates to engine starting means and particularly to means, in combination with a locally'operated starter adjacent to the engine, for starting the engine independently of the local starter operating means through the intermediary of a portion of such starter from a position spaced from, or remotely disposed relative to, the starter.

Starting means of the aforesaid general character have heretofore embodied structure adding considerable length to the starter. which is disadvantageous in many applications from the standpoint of space requirements, and critical in an airplane because of the close proximity wall to the rear end of the engine shaft.

In addition, since the starter is already relatively long, and in many cases mounted only at is imposed on the starter mounting.

The added length and weight at the free end are conducive to greater adverse vibration efiects a one end, when the above mentioned length is added to the free end, excessive cantilever strain high speed of the motor armature shaft is trans-- lated into slow speed of the starter clutch or jaw member through the intermediary of a gear train, has also usually heretofore been locally hand cranked or remotely operated by means connected to a slow speed gear of such train, which structure renders the engine diflicult to hand crank. I

It is also impractical, if not impossible, in many applications, as in airplane practice, to have any substantial rigid lateral projections from the longitudinal sides of a starter.

Among the objects of the present invention are to'overcome all of the above-mentioned and other disadvantages of former starters, and to the starter, for starting the engine independ- "ently of the local or usual starter operating means.

Another object, in association with a starter having a motor and a gear train for operating the starter clutch at a speed reduced from that 2 of the motor, is to provide means for operating the starter clutch independently of the. motor through a high speed gear of such train, and operable from a position spaced from the starter through the intermediary of means avoiding the requirement for the aforesaid laterally projecting rigid means.

Another object is to provide means of the above indicated character that is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and effective in its operation.

-These and other objects and features of the invention are pointed out in the following description in terms of the embodiment thereof which is. shown in the accompanying drawing.

and applied to a standard starter of existing type, and including means illustrated diagrammatically for operating the structure from a position spaced from the starter.

Figure 2 is an end view of the overrunning clutch of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, an engine starter 40, therein shown, comprises, in general, an axial stationary rotatable spline nut l2, a screw shaft l4 in the nut l2, a starter Jaw. clutch member l8 adapted for rotation with, and axial movement relative to, the screw shaft i4, spring means l8, between the screw shaft I4 and the Jaw member Hi,- a rotatable drum 20, a friction disc clutch pack 22 having discs connected to the drum 2!! and the nut l2, respectively, a non-rotative orbital gear 24, rotatable planet gears 28 carried by the drum 20 and engaging the orbital gear 24, a rotatable internal gear 28 having a sun gear portion 30 engaging the planet gears 26, a rotatable drum seal. a is to be noted that all of the aforesaid rotatable parts rotate about axes extending in the same direction, or in other words, about axes that are parallel, coincident or in line relative to each other.

The invention, in addition to a change in the above generally described starter I0, comprises. in general and in combination therewith, means 41, at the lower center of the figure, including a drum pinion 48 engaging the drum gear 32 and having the drum pinion axis parallel to the axis of the drum gear 32, a clutch 50, in the drum pinion 48 adapted to rotate the latter when the motor 36 is deenergized and for overrunning by the drum pinion 48 when the motor is energized, a bayonet fitting or rotative driving element receiving means 52, at the lower right of the figure, adapted to be disposed in position spaced from thestarter I0, and a flexible shaft 54 connected to the receiving means 52 and to the drum pinion clutch 50 coaxially of the latter.

The starter I0, in other particulars, comprises a housing 56 including an inner end portion 58 having a flange 60, a portion 62, in which the drum is journaled as by bearings 64, and including the orbital gear 24 as a fixed part of the portion 62, and having flanges 66" and 60.

The end portion 58 of the housing 56 is secured to an engine crank case Wall I8 in an opening I2 thereof, as by studs 14 extending through the flanges 60 and 66 and the crank case wall, and attached to the flange 66 independently of the bolts I4, as by screws 16.

The flange 68 is secured to another portion I8 of the housing 56, which portion I8 has a wall 80 supporting a bearing 82 for the armature shaft 36 and bearings 84 for a shaft portion 86 of the drum gear 32.

The housing 56 further comprises a portion 86 secured to the portion I8, as by studs 98, en closing the motor 36 and having a portion 92, supporting a bearing 94 for an outer end portion 36 of the armature shaft 36, and having an end cap 98. Means I00 is also supported by the housing portion 92, for raising and lowering brushes I02 relative to a commutator I04 of the motor 36. The flywheel 42 is secured to the armature shaft 38, as by a key I06.

The friction, between the discs of the clutch pack 22, is maintained by springs I08 which are adjusted by a ring nut III) screw threadedly mounted in the drum 20. Means II2 secured to the end portion 56 of the housing 56 in this instance merely seals the housing 56 against the admission of oil from the crank case I8, although in other applications it may be adapted to additionally operate to frictionally hold the jaw I6.

The screw shaft I4 has a spline connection I I4 to the jaw member I6 whereby the latter is adapted to rotate with, and move axially relative to, the screw shaft, the latter of which has coarse screw thread connection to the spline nut I2 and a shoulder H6 adapted to engage a, shoulder H8 of the spline nut for causing the screw shaft to drive the jaw I6 to start the engine when the shoulder II6 engages the shoulder H8.

The meshing rod 44 has a shoulder I20 adapted to push the screw shaft I4, and a portion,v I22 extending, in this instance, through the spring means I8 and a hole in the jaw member I6. A nut I24 holds the jaw I6 to the meshing rod portion I22, which is surrounded, at the inner side of the jaw I6 with a sliding seal I26 held against the Jaw I6 by the spring IS. A level I28,

shown diagrammatically, plvotally connected to the rod 44, is adapted for operation by a solenoid or by hand at a. position adjacent to the starter I0 in a usual manner, and from a position spaced from, or remotely disposed relative to the starter, as will later appear.

Means I30 provides a fluid seal around the rod 44, and a seal against the admission of particles abraded from the discs of the clutch pack 22 to the nut I2.

The housing portion 18, which, in cross section, is of generally cylindrical shape before the addition of the means 41, has a slight bump, or radially outwardly raised curved portion to accommodate an adjacent arc of the drum gear 32 at about the longitudinal center of the starter I0.

In this instance, by only slightly raising the former bump to form a new bump or housing portion I32, the means 41 is disposed partially within the former cross-sectional contour of the housing portion 18 thereby conserving side room of the starter. Since, as stated hereinabove, it is impractical, if not impossible in many applications, as in airplane practice, to have any substantial rigid lateral projection from the longitudinal sides of the starter, the abovementioned constructiomwhereby the means 41 is disposed partially within the former contour'of the housing portion I8, constitutes a novel feature rendering the present invention possible, since it does not laterally extend the starter structure beyond a practical limit.

With no rigid projection of greater lateral or radial extent than the bump I32, the starter may be turned or rotated about its longitudinal axis, and mounted in any of several positions to avoid interference with adjacent engine parts or accessories.

In conjunction with the above described feature, it is of further particular note that the drum pinion 48, engages the drum gear 32, which is a high speed gear of a train including the pinion 40, the pinion portion 34 of the drum gear 32, the internal gear 28, the sun gear 30, the planet gears 26 and the orbital gear 24. In former practice, gears and pinions corresponding to the pinion 48, engage a, low speed gear, or a gear closer to the jaw I6 in a corresponding train, whereby it is considerably more diflicult, or requires more structure externally of the starter to obtain comparable results.

The means 41, in further particular, comprises the bump or auxiliary housing I32 secured to the housing portion 18 and having a tubular portion inclosing, in this instance, anti-friction bearings I 34 spaced apart, as by a, spacer I36, and from one end of the housing I32, as by a spacer I38.

The pinion 48 is in the form of a hollow drum having external gear teeth, engaging the teeth of the drum gear 32, and a stub shaft portion I40 in the bearings I34. The pinion is axially held in place by a lock ring I42 operating between the shaft I48 and one side of the inner race of one of the bearings I34, and by a shoulder of the drum against an opposite side of the inner race of the other bearing.

The clutch 50, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is of a usual ball or roller lock type, in this instance embodying rollers, which rollers, when the clutch 50 is rotated in a direction to start the engine, engage and lock against the inner longitudinal face of the drum of the pinion 48 and, when the clutch 50 is stationary and the drum gear 32 is rotated by, the motor 36, allow the drum pinion tween which extension and the portion I 68 is provided a bearing I64.

The portion I68 has an axial opening for the reception of one end of the flexible shaft 64, and a radially split exteriorly screw threaded outer end for thereception of a nut I68 fixed in position after tightly radially clamping the flexible shaft I52 to the clutch 68. A flexible shield I68 for the flexible shaft 64 has a flanged inner end I82 held in place in a recess of a cap nut I64 on the extension I62 and spaced from the adjacent endof the'extension by a washer I66.

At its opposite end, the shield I68, which flexes laterally with the shaft 64, but does not rotate therewith, is flxed to a stationary member I68,

which may be a part of an airplane disposed at a position remote from the starter I8.. At the member I68, the flexible shaft 64 is provided with the means 62, such as a usual socket having bayonet slots, for receiving a rotatable driving element I18, indicated in this instance as the output elementof a speed step up gear train, in a gear box I12, having an input element I14 similar to the means 62 for operation as by a hand crank I16, as shown, or by a portable motor or other means.

Operating means I 18, shown in the form of a ring, for the meshing rod 44, is mounted, at the position of the member I68 adjacent to the means 62, on one end I88 of a cable I82 having its other end I84 connected to the lever I28- at the upper center of the figure.

Operating means I 86, for the brush lifting means I88 is also mounted at the position of the member I68 at one end of a cable I88 having its other end connected to a member I98 of the means I 88. The cable I88 extends over a pulley I92,-in this instance, whereby the cable is directed to pull the means I88 about the axis of the armature shaft 38 to lift the brushes I82 from the commutator I84 against the action of springs I92. The cable I88 extends around another pulley I94, and is provided with a flxed ball or button I96. When the brushes I82 are to be lifted, the operating means I 86 is pulled to move the ball I96 through an opening I98 in the member I68, after which a portion of the cable, at the left of the member I68 as shown, is

lifted into a slot 288 above the opening I 98 to lock the ball I96 in position in which the brushes are lifted. To replace the brushes'to position on the commutator, it is only necessary to lower the ball I96 into register with the opening I98, whereupon the springs I92 return the brushes to 0perative position. I

The member I68 is shown as in the form of a service box enclosing the receiving means 52, and the'operating means I18 and I86, and having a movable cover 282 adapted to lie flush with an air.- foil surface element 284 of an airplane.

In operation by the motor 36, in this instance.

operation, the-law I8 is not engaged'thereby to the jaw 48.

when the flywheel attains the aforementioned it to turn in the nut I2 until the jaw member I6 engages the jaw element 48, whereupon the shoulder II6 of the screw shaft I4 engages the shoulder II8 of the nut I2 and thereby turns the engine jaw element 46 to crack the engine seal as aforesaid, which action, in this case, is im-- mediately followed by the torque of the motor 36' in turning the jaw element 48 to start the engine, if the flywheel energy is dissipated. If

the energizing switch is opened, the flywheel alone supplies the torque. In a combination inertiadirect cranking starter, the two energies are ad- I ditive.

The motion in cracking the engine seal and starting the engine is transmitted from the armature shaft 38 through the pinion 48, the drum gear 82, the pinion 34, the internal gear 28, and

the sun gear 38 to the planet gears 36. Since the latter are mounted on the drum 28 and engage the stationary orbital gear 24, the reaction is a turning of the drum 28, and, with the drum through the intermediary of the clutch pack 22, also a turning of the nut I 2, which as above stated, with the shoulder II6 engaged to the shoulder II8 as aforesaid, causes turning of the jaw I6. ,Also, during the above-described actions resulting from energization of the motor 36, with the clutch 58 inactive, the drum pinion 48 is rotated by the drum gear 32 to cause the pinion 48 to override the clutch 58.

In operation, from the position of the means 52 and I18 independently of the motor 86,-or

in other words, when the motor is deenergized,

' receiving means 52, is placed in the latter means and cranked in a usual manner. This action, from the crank I16, or from the portable motor, to the input element I14, through the gear train in the gear box I12, transmits low-torque highspeed rotation to the output element I18 of the train. From the element I18, such rotation is transmitted through the flexible shaft 54 to the clutch 58 whereby the rollers of t e latter grip the inner side surfaces of the dru pinion 48 to rotate the latter and consequently, the drum gear 32, the pinion 48 and the armature shaft 38 for bringing the flywheel 42 up to speed.

Rotation of the drum gear 32 carries the pinion 34 with it, to rotate, as aforesaid, the internal when the motor is energized to bring the flywheel 42 up to speed for cracking the engine seal, although the above-mentioned gear train is in gear 28, the sun gear 38, and the planet gears 26 against the stationary orbital gear 24, to rotate the nut I2 through the intermediary of .the clutch pack 22.

When the flywheel attains the speed for cracking the engine seal, the operating means I18 is pulled, which action is transmitted through the cable I82 to the lever I28, which turns clockwise,

as viewed in the figure, to move the meshing rod 44 to the left for engaging the jaw 16 to the jaw 48, whereupon the engine seal is cracked and the engine started as in the case above-described in connection with the operation by the motor 36.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, various changes in the form and relative arrangements of the parts, which will now appear to those skilled in the art, may be made Without departing from the scope of the invention. Reference is, therefore, to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

' What is claimed is;

1. In a device for an engine starter of a type having a housing including a gear train housing portion normally of given cross sectional area having a slight side wall'bump, actuating means including a flywheel and a motor having a shaft, a pinion on the motor shaft, a member at the front end of the housing rotatable about an axis extending in the direction of the motor shaft and adapted for cooperation with an engine element to start the engine, and means in the housing including a gear train operatively connected between the actuating means and the membe for driving the latter by the actuating means and embodying a bell gear meshing with the pinion and disposed in the gear train housing portion opposite the bump, the combination of a gear train housing portion in the place of said first gear train housing portion having an only slightly larger corresponding bump, and a structure added to such starter along the side thereof comprising means rotatable about an axis parallel to said side including an engine cranking pinion within the larger bump meshing with the bell gear, clutch means, and a flexible shaft connected at its inner end to the clutch means and extending therefrom for an initial length generally along said side wall and having outer-end means for receiving a member adapted to rotate the flexible shaft, the clutch means operating to maintain the flexible shaft inactive during operation of the gear train by the actuating means but responsive to rotation of the flexible shaft during inaction of the actuating means for driving the cranking pinion to rotate the member through the bell gear and other gears of the train.

2. In an engine starter of a type normally of given cross sectional area comprising actuating means including a flywheel and a motor, a member at one end of the starter adapted for cooperation with an engine element to start the engine, and means including a gear train operatively connected between the actuating means 'and the member for driving the latter by the actuating means, the combination of structure added to such starter along the side thereof comprising means rotatable about an axis parallel to said side and having portions disposed at least partially within said area including an engine cranking gear meshing with a gear of the train, a flexible shaft for driving the cranking gear, and means between the cranking gear and the flexible shaft for maintaining the flexible shaft inactive during operation of the gear train by the actuating means but responsive to rotation of the flexible shaft for driving the cranking gear to rotate the member through gears of the train during inaction of the actuating means.

3. In an engine starter of a type normally of given cross sectional-area comprising actuating means including a flywheel and a motor, a member at one end of the starter adapted for cooperation with an engine element to start the engine, and means including a gear train operatively connected between the actuating means and the member for driving the latter by the actuating means, the combination of structure added to such starter along the side thereof comprising means rotatable about an axis parallel to said side and having portions disposed at least partially Within said area for rotating the member through gears of the train independently of the actuating means, a flexible shaft for driving the rotatable means of said structure,- and means for maintaining the flexible shaft inactive during operation of the gear train by the actuating means but responsive to rotation of the flexible shaft for rotating the member through gears of the train independently of the actuating means as aforesaid during inaction of said actuating means.

CHARLES S. METSGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,424,987 Clark Aug. 8, 1922 2,030,882 Lansing Feb. 18, 1936 2,095,236 Baer Oct. 12, 1937 2,261,402 Nardone Nov. 4, 1941 2,346,303 Heintz Apr. 11, 1944 2,349,867 Heintz May 30, 1944 

